‘Cats Corner is the official blog for the Tri-City ValleyCats, Short Season Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, and member of the historic New York-Penn League. 'Cats Corner consistently ranks as one of the top 50 professional blogs on the MLB.com network. With game and promotional recaps, team analysis and more, 'Cats Corner is ValleyCats fans #1 source for information.

NFL Night at “The Joe”

Are you ready for some football? Well, we hope to have some extended fall baseball first, but Sunday night was a preview of things to come on the gridiron.

Sunday was NFL Night at “The Joe” with fans and staff donning their favorite jerseys to watch the ‘Cats take on the Staten Island Yankees. There were some interesting showings that included “throwbacks”, rivals, and as expected quite a few New York Giants colors.

The on-field promotions featured some NFL inspirations including the Mayors calling an audible, a QB sneak in the Hot Dog Race, and some end zone dances during the fifth inning drag. Two lucky fans competed in a field goal kicking contest in between innings that left fans clamoring for the return of Scott Norwood.

Our friends from AT&T were on hand as the game sponsor and offered fans a chance to win a great prize at their table . . . a set of Beats Audio Headphones. Congratulations also to James McNab who was selected in-store as the AT&T VIP Experience winner. James received four tickets, early entrance to watch BP, a ceremonial first pitch, and an opportunity to call an inning of play-by-play on the air!

On the field, the ‘Cats rebounded in a big way as they crushed Staten Island by the score of 11-0. Joe Bircher limited the Yanks to just two hits in six scoreless innings. Preston Tucker crushed a long home run and several other ValleyCats had two hits apiece including Sclafani, Wierzbicki, Elkins, and King.

Following the game, Aaron’s presented the TV Dig on the warning track. This offered the boys a chance to dig for a 32-inch TV as a prelude to next week’s Diamond Dig, presented by Don Cook Jewelers.

The team will be in action again at 7:00 PM on Monday night as they attempt to take the series. Don’t forget to be one of the first 1,500 through the gate to receive your Derek Jeter Bobblehead, the inaugural item in the Heritage Series which is presented by Berkshire Bank.

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